More Cowbell!!

Sho, I am back from 3 days in Pitseng. That’s the area about 45 minutes away, by private transport mind you, where Help Lesotho has a community centre – the Seotlong Centre (pictured below – like 2 entries below). It is located on Anglican church-donated land and the money for the building came from the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, so says the sign (actually pictured below).

Anyway, this was my first overnight trip up there but from now on* I’ll be spending Thursday evening through Saturday there. Tara will be there Tuesdays through Thursdays but for our first overnight adventure there, we both went. It was nice to have the company that is for sure. Pitseng is peaceful and beautiful. The backdrop is amazing and the stars at night are infinite. My photos of the mountainous landscape do not do it justice so feel free to come and see it for yourselves.

Ladies and gentlemen, the sounds of Pitseng stem largely from animals. Herdsmen stroll past with their cattle – you know they are coming and going when you hear, you guessed it, their cowbells!! I don’t think I knew the origin of the musical instrument/noisemaker version of the cowbell. It literally is a bell, worn by cows around their necks. I guess the cattle are warning humans to get the heck out of the way lest they be road kill. Other common sounds are cows mooing, inexplicably for hours on end, the usual roosters crowing, men and boys trotting by on horse or donkey back, often greeting those they pass by and the rush of water from the water tap.

There is a water right by where we stay, well 2, one inside our compound and one outside. From here we can observe and sometimes participate in, the talk around this life source. It’s like a more important water cooler where people of all ages collect water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and watering their gardens. It seems to be a great place to catch up on the news of today and greet the strange, new white people across the fence if they happen to be out. Yeah, that’s me and Tara. It’s less tiring and actually more interesting to be noticed by the people of Pitseng than it is the people of Hlotse. When I figure out how to explain it, I’ll try.

To rest my case, I must get ready for work now. I’ve actually been back a few days since I started this and leave for Pitseng tomorrow. This time, I’ve got some sunglasses so even if I play volleyball for another 2 hours in the sun, I won’t have the excuse of burnt eyes to leave you hanging for an update.

Note-I’ve been typing up the entries for our annual essay contest and I’m trying to employ some of the techniques used by some of the youth. It’s my subtle or not so subtle commentary on the teaching of English and its challenges.

*Only until the new year, which I just found out and helps make the whole scenario a little more understandable.

Ntate Peter's cow - Ntate Peter is our night watchman